Chicken Farro Salad with Apples and Walnuts

Once the temperatures cool and the leaves begin to fall, most people gravitate towards soups and stews for cozying up and I am no different.  We’ve already had our first chili and cornbread dinner gathering of the season and the crock pot has been put to good weekday use.  Sometimes however, when afternoons turn warm and those vibrant fall leaves glisten in the sunlight, I crave a crisp autumn salad.

Sometime last year a friend introduced me to walnut oil when she brought a salad over for one of our dinner parties.  I couldn’t believe the difference the walnut oil made- it was one of those stand-out salads that I’ll never forget.  The flavor is so wonderful and I especially love La Tourangelle’s roasted walnut oil in particular (not sponsored, just my personal opinion); roasted makes the deep nutty walnut flavor stand out.  I’ve been eating a variation of this salad for lunch almost everyday for the past week and I’ve yet to become tired of it.  This version has become my favorite- tender chicken, crisp apples and arugula, chewy farro, toasty walnuts, and creamy blue cheese all tossed in a walnut oil and apple cider vinaigrette dressing.  This salad is light enough to not weigh you down, but substantial enough to fill you up and keep you energized for the day.

Chicken Farro Salad with Apples and Walnuts

• Yield: 4 side portions or 2 main course portions

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
• 1 medium apple, thinly sliced and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup farro, cooked according to package directions
• 2-3 cups roughly chopped arugula
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
• 1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese

Dressing

• 4 tablespoons roasted walnut oil
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• pinch of ground black pepper

Instructions

1. Whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, apple, farro, arugula, and half the walnuts and blue cheese. Toss with half the dressing and season to taste with additional salt and pepper. Add additional dressing if necessary. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle remaining walnuts and blue cheese crumbles on top. This salad is best served immediately, although if you’d like to assemble ahead of time, leave the arugula out and add it in right before serving.